Title:Â Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Available On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PCÂ
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Publisher: Warhorse Studios, Deep Silver
Genre: Action-Adventure, RPG
Official Site:Â Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Release Date: February 13th, 2018
Where to Buy: Local Retailers, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Steam
Let me begin by saying that Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a massive game. With the possibility of over 50+ hours of gameplay, there is a lot to do in this well-created world. While a bloody civil war hangs over the characters of the game, it is a much more focused experience — this is one of its greatest strengths. Despite some bugs (and nearly impossible lockpicking), this is a title everyone from history buffs to  Skyrim fanatics can enjoy.
This is a tale of vengeance and finding your place in the world. You play as Henry, the son of a blacksmith, whose life is shattered after his village is burned to the ground due to a civil war. After losing everything, Henry finds himself in the service of a Lord who’s forming a resistance against the vicious invaders. From there, the rest of the story is up to you!
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an action RPG that takes a more historical approach versus the high fantasy one that we are used to in the genre. Because of this step away from the norm, it almost creates its own special kind of magic. Being more historical, there is plenty of story and background information to sink your teeth into. If you love the political intrigue and power plays in Game of Thrones, this is definitely the game for you. It’s refreshing in the way that instead of focusing on the civil war as a whole, it is much more focused on Henry’s experience and the everyday ramifications of the war.  That being said, expect quite a few lengthy cutscenes in order to fill in the blanks of the larger workings of the world.
The team at Warhorse put a ton of work into world building and character development that definitely pays off. You really begin to care about these characters, and the world is rich with history and culture. One of the game’s greatest strengths is its ability to actually let you play as you’d like. Quests often have a variety of ways to complete them, and your reputation, the way you are dressed, and how well you communicate all affect the possible outcomes of these quests. For example, one of my quests was to exit a camp where I had been stationed. I was trying to steal a set of armor to disguise myself so I could sneak out, but I got caught and was arrested. This arrest caused them to kick me out of the settlement. Problem solved!
So, whether you want to use your words or a sword, there are plenty of ways to play. Speaking of the combat, it definitely has a bit of a learning curve. To perfect it, I would definitely suggest practicing in the training areas to get the hang of it. Playing on a controller made the combat a bit more approachable as the keyboard controls seemed a bit confusing, especially since it is a different sort of combat system. The combat isn’t as responsive as I would like, but, then again, it plays into the realism of the experience.
Fair warning, the game is a bit buggy. Smaller bugs, like horses walking into walls, won’t totally ruin your experience. But there are bigger bugs that will affect your gameplay. During an archery competition, my opponent refused to shoot his bow; therefore, I had to restart the game and rewatch the cutscene in order to get him to participate. For now, the bugs are somewhat forgivable with such a massively impressive project, but when playing for long periods of time these bugs can get pretty annoying.
That being said, the glitches that end your game are made more annoying by the saving of your progress. The game does save automatically after events of great importance, but quicksaves are a bit of a different story. In order to save on your own time, you need Savior Schnapps, an expensive alcohol. Drinking one of these will save your progress, but they are expensive to buy and time-consuming to make yourself. I didn’t find this to be too unfair, but I could see some people hating this aspect.
All in all, Kingdom Come: Deliverance has a lot to offer, and it is a fresh take on an old favorite. The developers have already released statements addressing some of the issues above, so the game is only destined to get better!
Verdict:  Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a unique take on the action RPG genre. Instead of magicians and dragons, they have woven in the history and background of their own native land. With endless ways to complete a task, challenging combat, an intensified focus, and a well-written narrative, it is almost easy to overlook the bugs in Warhorse’s first title. But, with updates on the way, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.
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